Blogs and Case Studies — Concert Financial Planning

Matt Smith

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Of Fees and Friends

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Of Fees and Friends

Today, I had lunch with an old friend. Our conversation quickly centered around some of the things we are dealing with within our respective families, conversations that many of our contemporaries can probably identify with when it comes to aging parents.

We both acknowledged that we have arrived in that time of our life, and I mentioned that I see it within my client base as well. Things are changing, and people our age are finding themselves becoming more involved in the care of their parents, or even siblings, and it’s happening as Hemmingway put it, “Gradually and then suddenly.” ***

Case Study: Electing Employee Benefits for a BigLaw Family

Case Study: Electing Employee Benefits for a BigLaw Family

Choosing employee benefits can feel overwhelming, especially when both spouses have options. Errors or missed opportunities can compound when somebody spends time making choices once and then continues with the same choices year after year. See how we helped a BigLaw attorney’s family optimize health insurance, HSA contributions, and insurance coverage.

BigLaw Attorneys: Planning for Student Debt, Part 2

BigLaw Attorneys: Planning for Student Debt, Part 2

There are scenarios in which it may make sense to focus on other financial priorities as you pay down your debt on its regular schedule, without adding additional payments to pay it down faster. The biggest factors to consider will be the types of loans you have, the interest rates, and the status of some of the financial priorities below:

BigLaw Attorneys: Planning for Student Debt

BigLaw Attorneys: Planning for Student Debt

This is one of the 3rd rails of financial planning for attorneys. The debt you incurred during your undergraduate and/or law school years may feel enormous and can trigger very real emotional reactions. People don’t like to be in debt, and it often casts an ominous cloud over those that owe money to a lender. Those feelings are very real, very justified, and very normal. It is a good instinct to have to want to avoid getting into or staying in debt. However, there is a way to integrate your student loan repayment with your broader investment plan! Read on.

BigLaw Associate Attorneys: Planning for High Income

BigLaw Associate Attorneys: Planning for High Income

You’ve put in the hours, even years! You’re finally making the money and the trajectory is only looking up. Congratulations! The key now is to maximize your income so that it can be a powerful tool toward your financial freedom, ASAP. If you’re not sure what types of accounts to invest in, where your student loans take priority over savings, or how these things change with early retirement in mind, read on.

Investment Philosophy and Academics (Without the Academics)

Investment Philosophy and Academics (Without the Academics)

Academic theory about investing in stocks is a lot like a map of the London Tube. The map can get you from Point A to Point B, but it is not actually an accurate map of the rail line underground. It is only an easy-to-read, simplistic version of what is really going on.

However, just because the map shows a 90° turn doesn’t mean that the rail line actually makes a 90° turn at that specific point in the line. The academic theories behind investing are a lot like this, in the sense that they can often get you to where you’re going over the full route, but if brace yourself for stocks to make a specific turn at a specific time based on the theories, you’re likely to lose your balance, look like a fool, or both. Read on.

Why Concert?

Why Concert?

“Concert” is an unusual name for a financial firm, but there’s a reason for it. It serves as an analogy for how you should think about financial planning, what it is, and why you need it. It also helps you put things into perspective when everything you hear about investing in the media is designed to make you feel stupid and scared. You’re not stupid, and you don’t need to be scared. Read on.